Page 94 of All Our Ghosts

I glance at her, taking another swig from my bottle and shrug. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to this world.” My gaze trails over to Layla and Jane. The two of them have floated over to where Holden and Cole stand. “Or that shit.” I tip my bottle toward them.

“Don’t worry about them,” Blake urges, nudging me. “Layla’s just throwing her weight around but it means nothing and Jane,” she scoffs out a laugh. “Jane is harmless.”

I glance at Blake. “You’re right. I’ve dealt with worse things than Layla’s pettiness.”

A wince crosses over Blake’s face. “if anyone can deal with her bullshit, it’s you.”

I wrap my arm around Blake’s waist, smiling softly as my eyes land on Holden’s. He smiles at me as Cole says something to get his attention back. Layla steps closer to Holden, her hand dragging up his arm until the flat of her palm lands over the rank patch on his cut. I stiffen, my eyes narrowing as that familiar anger bubbles up in my chest. Is it anger? It feels like my skin is crawling with the urge to shove Layla’s face through a window the longer her hand lingers on him.

“You want me to shoot her?” Blake asks, apparently also seeing the display Layla’s pulling.

“No,” I bite, setting the bottle down onto the bartop with a thud and pull out of my embrace around Blake.

“Where are you going?” She asks as I make my way around the bar.

I turn back to Blake with a sickly sweet grin. “To show that bitch who he belongs to.”

Blake’s eyes grow wide before a laugh erupts from her. “Keep the hair pulling at a minimum.”

I turn and glance over my shoulder. “I won’t need to pull her hair.”

Holden’s eyes find mine again, his brows furrow and his head cocks to the side questioning me all while Layla’s fingers languidly trace the patches on his cut, only fueling my need. I round the table dragging my hand along his back as I move to the opposite side between him and Cole. My eyes flicker to thesnake-like look in Layla’s eyes before dragging my gaze up to Holden.

My lips part to speak when Layla leans over the table, grinning. “Sweetheart, the men are talking, so–”

“Layla,” Cole warns.

I glance at Layla. “See, Layla, the difference between you and me?” I feel Holden take a step towards me in the small space. “The men actually care about what I have to say. So I suggest you take your hands off ofmyold man before you lose them.”

Layla’s mouth drops open, her lips moving like a fish trying to gasp in air. “You’re going to let her talk to me like that?” She squeals, looking between Holden and Cole.

“Oh,” I tsk, “sweetheart, they don’t control me. I guess that’s another difference between you and me.” I know I’m stooping to her level but if the only language Layla understands is petty bitch, then that’s where I’ll meet her.

Cole stares down at me in disbelief as Holden covers his mouth, biting back a laugh. He moves around me this time, standing behind me as I stare at the wide-eyed look on her face. Satisfaction rolls through me even as my heart hammers against my chest. I don’t even realize my hands are shaking until I feel Holden’s fingers intertwine with mine.

“I think it’s time for you to leave, Layla.” Cole finally says, breaking the stare between us.

“But-” Layla starts when Cole lets out a low rumble.

“Leave, Layla,” he warns.

She scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest, staring directly at me. If looks could kill, I would be a pile of ashes on the floor at Holden’s feet right about now. My body vibrates over the slight win as I step back into his chest. The grin on my face grows as I feel Holden shift behind me and as his warm breath fans over my neck, the embers that burn in my belly turn to flames. Holding Layla’s stare, I tilt my head ever so slightly giving my neck tohim. I feel the upward curve of his lips as he grazes them along my skin.

Layla’s eyes go wide before turning to dark slits, daggers shooting from them as she lets out a frustrated screech and spins on her heel. The loud clacking of the cheap shoes echoes through the clubhouse as she makes her way to the door. Too distracted to care about the eyes on us I melt into Holden, still with my back pressed to his chest.

“What was that about?” He rasps, his lips barely touching the shell of my ear.

I turn my head to the side to look up at him. “She was touching you.” I didn’t mean for the words to come out with as much bitterness as they do but my body is still buzzing after that. It took a lot for me to stand up for myself, but I’m doing it little by little and Holden isn’t something that I want to lose to someone like Layla.

“Was she?” Never once have I wanted to smack the smug smirk off his face until this moment. My brows furrow as I scowl and step away from his chest, pulling my hand from his. “Hey,” he chuckles, attempting to grab me again but I move out of his reach. Holden raises a brow at me. “Cole, which room is empty right now?”

I hear him ask though those ocean blue eyes bore into mine. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Cole shift.

“The one the girls use.”

“Make sure they know it’ll be occupied.”

I feel my stomach flip as he steps towards me, this time taking my hand whether I want him to or not. He pulls me with him down the hallway, my eyes connecting with Blake’s as we march. Blake grins, giving me a thumbs up, clearly hearing everything that had happened and once again fulfilling the feeling of triumph radiating through me. Though the small green monster on my back still rages, the need for him is quickly taking over.

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